Exercise Apparatus for Ball Game

ABSTRACT

An exercise apparatus has several selectably activatable target objects arranged to register hits by a movable playing object. The target objects are arranged on a wall and are connected to a control unit. The control unit is arranged to activate the selected target object and an indicator which is arranged to identify the activated target object and is connected to and arranged at the target object, for a period determined by the control unit. The indicator is arranged above the target object. A method of training the playing skills of a team player is provided by using the exercise apparatus.

An exercise apparatus with several selectably activatable target objects arranged to register hits by a movable playing object is disclosed. A method of training a team player's playing skills by using the exercise apparatus is disclosed as well.

Within team-sport branches in which balls are used, the use of technical means for registering parameters giving values for shot velocity and hitting accuracy on a specified target is known. In their simplest form, shooting skills may be trained by shooting towards a static object, for example an ordinary football or handball goal comprising a frame and a net. The shot velocity may typically be measured with a so-called sports radar which measures the speed of an object, see for example Pure2Improve Sports Radar from Pure2Improve, Etten-Leur, Netherlands and Bushnell Speedster III Sports Radar Gun from Bushnell Outdoor Products, Overland Park, Mo., USA.

Studies of the best players within football have shown that, in addition to having excellent skills within ball-handling, they often stand out from players of ordinary skills in that they are extraordinarily good at keeping track of the positions and directions of motion of fellow players and opponents. It may be observed that such players move, to a great degree, with their eyes lifted, as they have trained the ability of ball control without the eyes having to be directed towards the ball in receiving and shooting situations.

The invention has for its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art or at least provide a useful alternative to the prior art.

The object is achieved through the features that are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow.

The invention provides an apparatus which is suitable for use in training the ability of a ball player to lift his/her eyes from the ball to keep track of where fellow players and opponents that are of importance for the next playing move are.

The invention relates to an exercise apparatus comprising several target objects, which are arranged to register hits by a movable playing object, typically a ball. At each target object, an indicator, which signals that the target object is activated for registering hits is arranged, typically in the form of a signal lamp at a height reasonably corresponding to the height of the player who is going to use the exercise apparatus.

The target objects are connected to a control unit, which is at least arranged to indicate a target object, at which the practising player is to aim in his/her next move, by the signal lamp lighting up for a certain time period. The control unit is preferably arranged to select target objects in a random order. It is an advantage if the length of the activation period and the intervals between the activation periods are adjustable.

The indicator signalling that a target object is activated, may possibly signal by an acoustic signal.

The target objects are preferably provided with means arranged to register and indicate hits, for example by the target object being formed as a pressure-sensitive plate. It is an advantage if the target object is connected to the control unit for hits to be recorded.

The target objects are preferably arranged on a wall, which is typically formed from a material of sufficient hardness or elasticity for a playing object, for example a ball hitting the wall, to bounce back from the wall. The wall is preferably 60-90 cm high. It is an advantage if there is a net extending up from the wall, arranged to catch a playing object that does not hit the wall.

The wall is preferably sectioned for easy set-up and take-down of the exercise apparatus. Several wall sections may be connected to each other to define, for example, a practice area, typically a polygonal area fully surrounded by interconnected wall sections. Thereby the practising player will have potentially active target objects on many sides and in very different directions, and the ball will not leave the practice area.

The size and the orientation of the target object are adapted to the skill to be trained. For football and handball, the target object may typically have a surface measure of 50×50 cm with its lower side edge arranged about 10 cm above and parallel to the ground. The size of the practice area is typically in the range of 200-300 m². It is an advantage if the centre of the practice area is marked so that the practising player can more easily position himself/herself relative to the target objects.

At least one of the target objects preferably includes means for registering the hit parameters of a ball, typically the hitting point of the ball within the boundaries of the target object and the strike velocity at the moment of impact.

To achieve a practice result of high value, many hits must be registered on the activated target object within a certain time period. As the activation of the target object is performed by the control unit and indicated by an indicator at the target object, the practising player must constantly practise keeping an eye on, possibly listening for, the indicators around him/her. Thereby the desired effect is achieved: The player increases his/her skills in handling the ball while he or she is simultaneously paying attention to what is happening in the surroundings. The invention thereby also provides a new method for training the playing skills of a ball player.

The results may be presented continuously or after the training period has ended. It is a further advantage if the control unit is connected to a display where the player can read the recordings from a distance.

It is an advantage if the player himself/herself may choose the degree of difficulty, for example by choosing the lengths of the interval and activation period for each target object, hit-value graduation for different portions of a target object, points scoring for shot velocity (for example absolute shot velocity or velocity within boundary values). It is an advantage if the results can be logged and retrieved for subsequent analysis, etc.

The invention is defined by the independent claims. The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments of the invention.

In a first aspect, the invention relates more specifically to an exercise apparatus with several selectably activatable target objects arranged to register hits by a movable playing object, the target objects being arranged on a wall and being connected to a control unit which is arranged to activate the selected target object and an indicator which is arranged to identify the activated target object and is connected to and arranged at said target object, for a period determined by the control unit, characterized by the indicator being arranged above the target object at a height reasonably corresponding to a height of a team player using the exercise apparatus.

The wall may be formed from several wall sections, at least some of the wall sections being provided with a target object.

The control unit may be arranged to activate the target objects in a random order.

The length of the activation period and the interval between the activation periods may be adjustable.

The target object may be provided with means arranged to register hits by the playing object on the target object.

Several wall sections may be connected to each other to define a practice area.

The movable playing object may be a ball.

The indicator may include at least a light source or a sound source arranged at the target object.

At least one target object may include means for recording the hit parameters of the movable playing object, taken from the group comprising a hit area and a strike velocity.

An information screen may be arranged to display a range of hit parameters recorded in the control unit.

In a second aspect, the invention relates more specifically to a method of training the playing skills of a team player by the use of an exercise apparatus as described above, characterized by the method including the following steps:

-   -   defining a practice area by means of a wall provided with         several target objects;     -   activating a control unit connected to the exercise apparatus;     -   bringing a movable playing object into the practice area;     -   letting the control unit activate a target object arranged on         the wall and letting the activated target object be identified         by means of an indicator connected to and arranged at said         target object for a period determined by the control unit, the         an indicator being arranged above the target object at a height         reasonably corresponding to a height of the team player;     -   recording the hits of the playing object on the target object;         and     -   activating further target objects in a sequence and recording         the hits of the playing object on the target objects.

The method includes the further step of:

-   -   activating the target objects in a random order.

The method may include the further step of:

-   -   adjusting the length of the period of activation of each target         object and/or the length of the intervals between each         activation period.

The method may include the further step of:

-   -   giving one or more of the target objects a graduated sectioning         in hit areas.

The method may include the further step of:

-   -   recording the strike velocity of the playing object at hits on         at least one of the target objects.

In what follows, an example of a preferred embodiment is described, which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a section of an exercise apparatus according to the invention, in which a target object divided into several segments and also an indicator, which indicates that a target object is activated, are arranged on a wall;

FIG. 2 shows, on a smaller scale, a wall section; and

FIG. 3 shows, on a smaller scale, an exercise apparatus which defines a polygonal practice area.

In the figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates an exercise apparatus provided with a wall 11 which is shown here as being formed from several wall sections 11 ₁, 11 ₂, . . . , 11 ₆. In FIG. 1, a section of one wall section 11 ₁ is shown. Each wall section 11 ₁, 11 ₂, . . . , 11 ₆ is formed of a wall surface 111 preferably formed from a material of sufficient hardness or elasticity for a playing object 3, typically a ball (see FIG. 3), which is sent against the wall surface 111, to bounce back from the wall 11. The wall is preferably 60-90 cm high. Extending up from the wall 11, there is a net 112, which is arranged to catch a playing object 3 that does not hit the wall 11.

On the wall 11, several target objects 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ are arranged. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ is arranged in a centred manner on each wall section 11 ₁, 11 ₂, . . . , 11 ₆ with a lower edge of the target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ at a distance from the lower edge of the wall 11, typically at about 10 cm. The target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ is typically square with a side-edge length in the range of 40-60 cm, but other geometric shapes can be used as well.

In FIG. 1, a target object 12 ₁ is shown divided into several target segments 121, also called hit areas, marked with target-segment boundaries 121 a. The target objects 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ are provided with at least one hit registration device 122, for example a pressure-sensitive sensor. In FIG. 1, each target segment 121 is provided with a hit registration device 122, for graduated registration of hits on the different target segments 121 of the target object 12 ₁. At least one target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ may be provided with a hit recorder 122 which can register the speed of the playing object 3 at the moment of impact.

Above each target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆, an indicator 13 ₁, 13 ₂, . . . , 13 ₆ is arranged, typically in the form of a light or sound source. The height of the indicator 13 ₁, 13 ₂, . . . , 13 ₆ above the ground may be adjusted to be adapted to the body height of a player or the nature of a game.

The target objects 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ and the indicators 13 ₁, 13 ₂, . . . , 13 ₆ are typically connected to a control unit 14 (see FIG. 3). The control unit 14 is arranged to activate a selected target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ for the registration of hits on the selected target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ for a time period which may be set by the player using the exercise apparatus 1. The respective indicator 13 ₁, 13 ₂, . . . , 13 ₆ signals to the player that the selected target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ is active. If the target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ is hit by the playing object 3 while activated, the hit is registered. The hit may be indicated by the respective indicator 13 ₁, 13 ₂, . . . , 13 ₆ and may also be recorded in the control unit 14.

The control unit 14 has been programmed to activate the target objects 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ in a random or particular order. The period during which each target object 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ is activated and the activation intervals may also be programmed, individually or collectively for all the target objects 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆.

The exercise apparatus 1 is also provided with an information screen 15 (see FIG. 3) for displaying results achieved, for example the number of hits, hit percentage, points scored if one or more target objects 12 ₁, 12 ₂, . . . , 12 ₆ have graduated hit areas, shot velocity at the moment of impact, statistical results from earlier practising rounds for a player or group of players, etc.

The control unit 14 is arranged to contain control instructions for different types of games, for example for football, handball, cricket, ice hockey, bandy and other team games in which the aim is for a team to achieve as many hits as possible on a goal with a playing object 3.

It should be noted that all the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate the invention, but do not limit it, and persons skilled in the art may construct many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the attached claims. In the claims, reference numbers in brackets are not to be regarded as restrictive.

The use of the verb “to comprise” and its different forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps that are not mentioned in the claims. The indefinite article “a” or “an” before an element does not exclude the presence of several such elements.

The fact that some features are indicated in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be used with advantage. 

1. An exercise apparatus comprising several selectably activatable target objects arranged to register hits by a movable playing object, the target objects being arranged on a wall and being connected to a control unit which is arranged to activate the selected target object and an indicator which is arranged to identify the activated target object and is connected to and arranged at said target object, for a period determined by the control unit wherein the indicator is arranged above the target object at a height reasonably corresponding to a height of a team player using the exercise apparatus.
 2. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall is formed from several wall sections, at least some of the wall sections being provided with a target object.
 3. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to activate the target objects in a random order.
 4. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length of the activation period and the interval between the activation periods are adjustable.
 5. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target object is provided with means arranged to register hits by the playing object on the target object.
 6. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein several wall sections are interconnected and define a practice area.
 7. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable playing object is a ball.
 8. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicator includes at least a light source or a sound source arranged at the target object.
 9. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one target object includes means for registering the hit parameters of the movable playing object taken from the group comprising a hit area and a strike velocity.
 10. The exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an information screen is arranged to display a range of hit parameters recorded in the control unit.
 11. A method of training the playing skills of a team player by the use of an exercise apparatus, the method comprising: defining a practice area by means of a wall provided with several target objects; activating a control unit connected to the exercise apparatus; bringing a movable playing object into the practice area; letting the control unit activate a target object arranged on the wall and letting the activated target object be identified by means of an indicator connected to and arranged at said target object for a period determined by the control unit, the indicator being arranged above the target object at a height reasonably corresponding to a height of the team player; recording the hits of the playing object on the target object; and activating further target objects in a sequence and recording the hits of the playing object on the target objects.
 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: activating the target objects in a random order.
 13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: adjusting the length of the period of activation of each target object and/or the length of the intervals between each activation period.
 14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: giving one or more of the target objects a graduated sectioning in hit areas.
 15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: registering the strike velocity of the playing object at hits on at least one of the target objects. 